Primary elections for governor hotly contested

Just 18 months ago, conventional wisdom said Nevadans could expect another governor's race between two candidates pretty much anointed by their parties.

It didn't turn out that way - especially on the Democratic side where Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins pulled out.

In the months following the 2005 Legislature, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus of Las Vegas became the party's front-runner. But when Henderson Mayor and son of a powerful Southern Nevada political family Jim Gibson entered the race, some expected Titus' star to fade.

Gibson's multi-generational ties in Southern Nevada immediately drew large contributions. Supporters argued that Gibson, a more conservative Democrat, would have a better chance to defeat Rep. Jim Gibbons in the general election.

The feisty Titus instead took the battle to Gibson describing him as a Democrat in name only and questioning his ties to the GOP - including his attendance at President Bush's inauguration - and to developers, who are no longer as popular in Las Vegas as they were a decade ago.

She says she is the "real Democrat" in the race.

Even though big business, developers and gaming would be more comfortable with Gibson, political observers give her a good chance of beating him. They point out that those Republicans, who may see a kindred spirit in Gibson, don't vote in the Democratic primary.

Meanwhile, the Republicans - in contrast to most years - has been unsuccessful in preventing a contentious primary for governor. State Senator Bob Beers, of Las Vegas, has attacked Gibbons, who had hoped to be anointed, painting him as another professional government politician with no stomach for the tough spending cuts Beers has promised. He says Gibbons has never pushed for a balanced budget in 10 years in Washington and would act the same as Nevada governor.

As the guy originally given no chance to catch the five-term congressman, Beers has been relentless in demanding Gibbons debate the issues. That demand has been taken up by the third major GOP candidate in the governor's race, Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt, who says Gibbons is cheating Nevadans by refusing to debate the issues in an open forum.

Gibbons spokesman Robert Uithoven says they'll debate, but not until early voting is nearly over with - in other words after most of the GOP party faithful have already cast their primary ballots.

Since Gibbons is the front-runner in the governor's contest, Titus has chimed in as well, charging the congressman says he's against taxes and big government and for the little guy, but that he's voted for numerous pork bills. She charges that his voting record proves he's in favor of mining, oil and big business - not the environment or average Nevadan, as he claims.

Her criticisms of his record are remarkably similar to those by Beers.

Uithoven says simply that the guy in the lead is always the target, and that the attacks amount to whining.

But the attacks have taken their toll. Gibbons' lead has been cut according to several polls - to less than 10 points in one recent survey. But those polls, for the most part, still have Gibbons winning the final battle Nov. 7.

There are three other candidates in the primary contest - Republicans Stanleigh Lusak and Melody Damayo and Democrat Leola McConnell. Liberal activist McConnell could siphon off a few votes from Titus while Lusak, a retired postal worker from Fallon, has no known voter base.

And no observers were willing to predict who might vote for Damayo, a former porn star and exotic dancer.

Despite the polls, Titus, Beers and the others warn not to count them out, and longtime observers agree saying the battle to replace Guinn is the most interesting Nevada governor's race in decades - possibly since Paul Laxalt defeated Grant Sawyer's bid for a third term in 1966.

Several of the races in between have been literal landslides. Mike O'Callaghan got three-quarters of the total vote in his second term. Kenny Guinn got more than triple Joe Neal's total in 2002, and Richard Bryan the same margin over Patty Cafferata in 1986.

Another of those races was Gibbons' first attempt to claim the governor's mansion in 1994. He lost to Bob Miller by 44,000 votes - a 12 percent margin.

No one expects that kind of margin in either the primary or general election for governor this year.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.